


Who Says We Gotta Grow Up?

by siehn



Category: Marvel Avengers Movies Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-01
Updated: 2012-11-01
Packaged: 2017-11-17 12:38:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/551660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siehn/pseuds/siehn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve convinces Bucky to go to the Avengers Halloween party.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Says We Gotta Grow Up?

**Author's Note:**

> x3 Written for a friend.

Steve looks up from the mirror where he’s inspecting the sight he makes when Bucky appears behind him and plops a large straw hat on his head with a smirk. “Can’t forget the accessories, pal,” he tells him, amusement lurking somewhere behind his eyes and it’s good to see him laugh. “Hey,” he grins, “you gonna carry an ear around with you all night?” 

“No I’m gonna cut it off and send it to you in the mail,” Steve deadpans, rolling his eyes. He can’t help the little smile though; Bucky fooling around goofily is a rare sight these days. 

“Ahw, you do love me,” Bucky snickers, clasping his hand to his chest dramatically. Steve just huffs and gives him a light shove in retaliation. Not that it does anything besides send Bucky sprawling across Steve’s bed like he owns it. Steve flushes and turns back to the mirror while Bucky smirks at him, propping himself up on his elbows.

“I don’t see why don’t you come with me,” Steve murmurs, adjusting the coat because he can’t seem to get it to fit quite right. He scowls at the image of himself when it only ends up more crooked than it was to start with. Bucky heaves a sigh and pushes himself up off the bed, heading for Steve and tugging his hands away from the overcoat so that Bucky can straighten it himself. He can’t help but notice how close they are, the way he can almost count the light dusting of freckles on his best friend’s nose. 

“I told you already Steve,” Bucky tells him quietly, all signs of amusement gone, though he doesn’t stop tugging at the coat until he has it just right. “I’m not an Avenger; I’m nowhere close to some big-time superhero, okay? I’m just--” 

“Don’t,” Steve interrupts, softly but unyielding all the same. He hates listening to Bucky put himself down all the time. He rallies his courage and reaches up to grip Bucky’s shoulder tightly right where the metal fuses with his flesh. Bucky stills, hands fisting themselves in the coat’s lapels. “You’re as good as an Avenger, you _know_ that. They all want you there, Buck,” he says, sliding his hand up and back until he can almost slip his fingers into the hair at the nape of his friend’s neck. It’s entirely too intimate, probably, but he doesn’t care. “I want you there.” 

“Steve,” Bucky says, eyes slipping closed as he sighs heavily and leans forward until his forehead rests against Steve’s chest. “You don’t play fair.” 

He laughs quietly, brings his hand up through Bucky’s hair just because he can and he likes the feel of it against his skin. “When have I ever? Wasn’t it you who taught me to fight dirty?” 

“You weren’t supposed to use that against me, punk,” he gets in reply as Bucky steps back to look up at him, half-scowling even though they both know he doesn’t mean it. 

Steve smiles brightly at him, watches the way it drags an answering smile from Bucky, small though it may be. “C’mon, I have a costume you can wear!” He knows better than to give his friend any kind of time to change his mind or find a way out. Bucky’s always been slippery that way, though Steve doubts he’d back out now. 

“Ahw c’mon, Steve. Why do I gotta dress up? We’re not twelve anymore, man,” Bucky complains, dutifully trailing behind him to the bags sitting on the kitchen table. Natasha had brought them over with a knowing grin and Steve was definitely going to have to thank her later. He picked up the bag with the robes and tossed them over, one eyebrow climbing up his forehead. 

“It’s a Halloween party, Bucky; people dress up for those,” he explains patiently, like Bucky doesn’t already know that and isn’t rolling his eyes at him as he takes his bag full of costume back into Steve’s bedroom. It doesn’t take him long to change. 

“Star Wars Rogers, really?” He raises an eyebrow very eloquently, turning in his spot to allow Steve to get the full view. 

Steve can’t really help the laughter. 

“You make a really good Jedi, Buck,” he manages, holding up the toy light saber in offering, and then they’re both laughing and having a mock duel in the middle of the kitchen because Steve couldn’t resist buying another one when he was out. 

Bucky wins, but only because he cheats. And Steve’s straw hat is an unfortunate casualty of war. 

It’s okay though, because Bucky goes with him to the Halloween party at the Tower, and he even enjoys himself if Steve’s any kind of judge. He smiles down into his drink as he watches Bucky harass Tony at the bar, both of them looking like their enjoying themselves, and knows he’s done good. 

“Nice job, Cap,” Natasha murmurs as she passes by, neatly stealing his drink in the process. She’s in some kind of three-way tournament with Clint and Pepper at the pool table, and Steve isn’t entirely sure who’s winning. He does know he isn’t getting anywhere near it, and settles for heading over to the bar to get another drink. Bucky leans into him from his stool when Steve stands beside him, both of them ignoring the way Tony’s eyebrows climb and the knowing smirk that crawls it’s way across his face because it doesn’t matter. They are who they are, and Steve nudges his friend lightly with his shoulder. 

“Told ya so,” he mutters quietly, self-satisfied. 

Bucky just rolls his eyes and downs the shot of Vodka Tony has put in front of him. “Yeah yeah,” he snarks, “the Force is strong with you, Rogers. We get it.” He waves a hand vaguely in Steve’s direction, poking him with the end of the light saber until both of them dissolve back into a fit of laughter.


End file.
